By Will Vandervort.
Clemson defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was taken with the first pick in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft on Saturday by the Atlanta Falcons at No. 137 overall.
It was a shocker Jarrett was on the board as long as he was after many thought he would be selected in the third round. Some experts had him rated as the 60th best player coming into the draft.
“I’ll be frank, this is about three rounds lower than I thought he would be going,” NFL Network analyst Charles Davis said.
Jarrett will join his Clemson teammate Vic Beasley in Atlanta. Beasley was taken No. 8 overall on Thursday by the Falcons in the first round. Like Beasley, Jarrett is also from the Atlanta area. Malliciah Goodman, who played with Jarrett and Beasley for two years at Clemson, is already a defensive end on the Falcons’ roster.
The Falcons traded up nine sports with Minnesota to choose Jarrett with the 137th pick and reunite him with his former teammates.
“Here is what Atlanta gets now. Everyone is talking about how they need edge rushers so they went out and did that with Vic Beasley, but getting this guy helps you get in the middle and get in the quarterback’s face,” Davis said.
Jarrett became one of the top defensive tackles in the ACC during his time at Clemson. A three-year starter, he tallied 83 tackles as a junior, including 11 tackles for loss, and then this past year he was the unquestionable leader of a defense that ranked No. 1 nationally in 11 different categories, including total yards allowed.
“Grady Jarrett is quick, fast and as a full throttle motor,” Davis said. “He is best on the move and attacking at angles for me.”
The 6-foot-1, 304-pound defensive tackle totaled 73 tackles, to rank third on the team, and had 10 tackles for a loss in 2014. He ended his Clemson career with 3.5 tackles, a caused fumble and a quarterback pressure in the Tigers’ 40-6 victory over Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
“When he plays with leverage, he can be strong at the point of attack and can really handle the run game,” Davis said. “I really love watching this guy play. The only thing with him is he can be engulfed by size and strength. But when he is on the move and attacking, he is as good as they come.”
Four years ago, no one would have imagined Jarrett, an undersized three-star defensive tackle out of Conyers, Ga., would be drafted. But on Saturday he became the third Clemson player and the third player off the nation’s No. 1 defense taken in the draft.
“I’m so thankful for the opportunity,” Jarrett said.
On Thursday, the Tigers had two players picked in the first round in Beasley at No. 8 to Atlanta and linebacker Stephone Anthony at No. 31 to New Orleans. That was the first time in 33 years Clemson has had two players selected in the opening round of the NFL Draft.
Jarrett’s father is Falcons Ring of Honor member Jessie Tuggle.
“He’s ecstatic,” Jarrett said after talking with his father on the phone after the selection.